In an October inauguration ceremony installing him as Kuyper College’s seventh president, Daniel Churchwell gave an address recognizing the school’s history, calling, and continuing potential.
“The potential I see at Kuyper exists precisely because generations of trustees, faculty, staff, presidents, donors, and churches planted it, protected it, and kept faith with it, often at real personal cost,” Churchwell said. “This is a continued legacy that I receive in trust.”
Named by the Kuyper College board of trustees as incoming president in June, Churchwell follows retiring Kuyper president Patricia Harris, who served the Grand Rapids-based college for 13 years. He stepped into the role at the end of July.
Churchwell’s most recent role before coming to Kuyper was director of programs and education at the Acton Institute, also in Grand Rapids.
“We are excited to welcome Daniel Churchwell as our next president, and we look forward to seeing how he uses his background and skills to move Kuyper College forward,” said Kuyper board chair Eric Hoogstra in the board’s June announcement.
Harris said Churchwell embodies Kuyper’s call to form lifelong learners for purposeful lives of work and service to God and neighbor. “His deep roots in Reformed thought, his passion for the Work College model, and his love for students make him a truly fitting president for this institution.”
Founded as the Reformed Bible Institute, which became Reformed Bible College in 1970 and was renamed Kuyper College in 2006, the school transitioned to the work college educational model in 2021. It is one of nine federally designated work colleges in the United States.